 | Terumah |  |
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| | 27:1 |
Sixth Reading
Make the altar out of acacia wood. The altar shall be square, 5 cubits by 5 cubits, and 3 cubits high.
Ve'asita et-hamizbe'ach atsey shitim chamesh amot orech vechamesh amot rochav ravua yihyeh hamizbe'ach veshalosh amot komato. |
| 27:2 |
Make protrusions on all four sides as an integral part of [the altar]. Then cover it with a layer of copper.
Ve'asita karnotav al arba pinotav mimenu tihyeyna karnotav vetsipita oto nechoshet. |
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Commentary:
5 cubits...
The dimensions of the altar were thus 7 1/2' x 7 1/2' x 4 1/2' (Rabbi Yose, Zevachim 59b; Josephus 3:6:8). According to others, the altar also had a base that was 7 cubits high, and therefore, it stood 10 cubits (15') high (Rabbi Yehudah, Ibid.; Yad, Beth HaBechirah 2:5).
| protrusions
Literally 'horns.' These were hollow boxes, one cubit square, and 5 handbreadths high (18' x 18' x 15') (Zevachim 54a; Yad, Beth HaBechirah 2:8; Maaseh Choshev 6:3). Others say that while this was true of the altar in the Temple, it may not have been true of the altar in the desert (Ralbag), and there the 'horns' may have been round and horn-shaped (Avraham ben HaRambam).
| copper
Or 'brass' that shone like gold (Josephus 3:6:8).
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